Variable delivery pump



Feb. 23, 1937.

WHI TCOMB VARIABLE DELIVERY. PUMP 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26,- 1935 INVENTOR.

. ATTORNEY5,

P. WHlTOMB 2,071,672

VARIABLE DELIVERY PUMP Feb. 23, 1937.

Filed June 26. 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. P Sf'o n Wlufcamb BY QQJ ATTORNEYS.

1937. P.'WHITCOMB VARIABLE DELIVERY PUMP Filed June 26, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

Prea for: W 1 H'cqmb ATTORNEY5.

1937- P. WHITCOMB VARIABLE DELIVERY PUMP Filed June 26, 1935 4 SheetsSheet 4 INVENTOR. PN'fbn Whd'cornb BY 0? J'Q 3 A ORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 23, 1937 S PATENT OFFICE VARIABLE DELIVERY rum Preston Whitcomb, Kenmore, N. Y., :gsignor to Manning, Maxwell & Moore, lnc.,

ew York,

N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 26, 1935, Serial No. 28,391

9 Claims. (onus-162) This invention relates to improvements in variable delivery pumps by means of which both the pressure and direction of flow of a pressure fluid may be varied from a maximum in one direction gradually through zero to a maximum in the opposite direction while the rotor'of the pump revolves at constant speed.

An important object of this invention is to provide an efficient pump of this type of rugged and yet simple construction.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a variable delivery pump capable of a substantially constant discharge pressure for any particular speed of operation within the capabili-' ties thereof.

bearings.

of effort.

attained by means of this invention.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application Serial No. 758,790, filed December'22, 1934, for Variable delivery pump This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, as will be described in detail below.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of pump construction in accordance with this invention; a

the shaft side;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view through the complete pump;

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the segmental 50 plates of the rotor structure;

stator;

55 side;

A still further object of this invention is to provide a manually operable means for controlling the output of the pump and means for hydraulically balancing the manually controlled means so that it may be adjusted with a minimum These and many other objects are successfully is connected by the passage H" with the pas- Figure 2 is an end elevational view thereof from Figure 6 is a similar view from the right hand Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line l-l of Figure, 6;

Figure 8 is an outside elevational view of the left hand housing cover plate;

Figure 9 is a similar view of the other side: 5

Figure. 10 is an outside elevational view of the right hand housing cover plate; Y

lzigure 11 is a similar view from the other side; an

Figure 1-2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the 10 line l2--l2 of Fi e 10.

The structure set forth in-the drawings as illustrating one form which the invention may take includes a central housing casting I. This casting is of substantially circular shape, having 15 a large central bore therethrough and provided with a pair of separated passages l2 and IS in the walls thereof. These passages are not in direct communication, as is clear from Figures 5 and 6., A connection port for passage I2 is provided by a passage in the cylindrical projection 8 and similarly a connection port is provided for the passage l3 by a passage in the cylindrical projection 9. The internal cylindrical opening in the casting is provided with two pairs of face grooves, indicated in Figures 5, 6 and '7. One pair of these grooves is shown at la and one pair is shown at lb. As shown by Figure '7, the right hand groove la. is connected by the passage H with the passage l3. The left hand groove la. 3

sage l2. Similarly, looking at the other half of the stator on the plane 'l-'l of Figure 6 but in the opposite direction, the left hand groove lb is connected by the passage II to the pas sage l2 and the right hand groove lb, Figure 5, is connected by a passage l1" with passage l3. Opening outwardly on the left hand face of the stator casting, see Figure 5, are the ports, 20, 2| and 22, which communicate with the passage 40 I2 in the stator wall, and the ports 23, 24 and 25, which communicate with the passage l3 in the stator wall.- On the right hand face of the stator housing I, as shown in Figure 6, there are provided the ports l4, l5 and I6 communicating with 4 the passage l3 and the ports l1, l8 and I9 communicating with the passage l2.

As shown in Figure 1, the central stator casting or housing I is closed on. its right hand end by means of the cover plate 3 and the packing gland disc 5 and on its left hand end by means of the cover plate 2 and the closure disc 4. The left hand cover plate 2 is shown in Figures 8 and 9. It consists of a casting having a pair of separated arcuate passages 25 and 26 formed in the wall thereof. On the inner face these passages are connected to the arcuate ports 21a and 21, respectively. Issuing on the same face are the ports 28, 29 and 30 which communicate with the passage 25, and the ports 3|, 32 and 33 which communicate with the passage 26. Opening on the outer face of this casting is an enlarged cylindrical recess 24a. Extending vertically above and below the recess are the hollow auxiliary housings 2a and 2b which open into a recess 24a, as is clear from Figure 3.

The right hand cover plate casting 3 is likewise provided with a pair of arcuate separated passages 46 and 4'! in the walls thereof which communicate with the ports 49a and 49, respectively, issuing on the inside face thereof. The ports 50, 5| and 52 issue on the same face and communicate with the passage 41, and the ports 53, 54 and 55 similarly issue on the inside face of the casting and communicate with the passage 46. This casting is provided with an enlarged cylindrical recess 49, as is clear from Figures 10 and 12.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the rotor comprises a pair of cylindrical parts 58 and 51 which are formed hollow and are bolted together by means of axial bolts, not shown. The

rotor part 56 is provided with a central hub which is joumaled in the roller bearing 56a mounted in the recess 48. The open end of this recess is closed by the packing gland closure disc 5 in which is the adjustable packing gland'B surrounding the drive shaft I which is pinned as shown to the rotor. The rotor portion 51 is provided with a hollow hub which isv journalled in the roller bearing 51a mounted in the'recess 24 of the left hand cover plate 2. The closure disc 4 closes the open end of the recess 24. The complete rotor is provided with a series of axial grooves opening outwardly on its periphery and of a cross-sectional form as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 758,790, filed December 22, 1934, but not shown here in detail since their form constitutes no separate part of this invention. The entire rotor is encased by a cylindrical ring 59 which is secured to the rotor in any suitable manner but preferably by shrinking it thereon. This ringcloses the open sides of the grooves 58 forming channels which issue at the sides of the rotor, as is clear from Figure 3.

In each groove 58 is a piston which is axially reciprocable therein. These. pistons comprise the two parts 60 and GI which are interconnected by means of a U-shaped yoke 62,, the ends of which extend down into openings on the top of the sections 60 and GI. Interposed between these sections and the ends of the yokes are the springs 64. By this construction it will be seen that the piston sections 60 and 6! are urged towards each other by the springs 64. The details of construction of these pistons likewise form by themselves no part of this invention. They have been disclosed in full detail in my co-pending application above mentioned.

Within the chamber of the rotor, which chamber is of substantially spherical form at its central portion, is the connecting means or spider for supporting the connecting rods 8|. This arrangement involves the shaft 65 .upon which the connecting rod spider 80 is journalled for rotation on the ball bearings 10. The spider 80 consists of a ring having flat sides and being transversely curved to form a sliding fit with the chamber within the rotor. The shaft 65 does not rotate in turn are engaged by the piston sections 60 and BI. These shoes are shaped on their face to fit the ball ends of the connecting rods and by the construction employed it will be apparent that modifications of the connecting rods will cause the pistons to move therewith but through a yielding connection which will permit. relative movement between the piston sections and the ends of the connecting rods as is necessary for a constructions of this type.

At 39 is a reciprocable plunger which is mount-, ed for sliding movement in the chambers formed by the auxiliary housings 2a and 2b. This plunger, is provided with an opening through which the end of shaft 65 projects. Near the end of the shaft it is ball shaped, as indicated at 66. The extreme end of the shaft is provided with a projecting lug 61 positioned to engage the pins 68 and 69 mounted on the plunger 39. These pins are positioned 180 above or along a longitudinal element of the plunger. The plunger may be moved longitudinally by means of the shaft 4|, the lower end 34 of which is threaded and engages a threaded passage in the upper end of the plunger. The shaft 4| projects upwardly through a bushing l0 mounted on the portion 2a and through a packing gland 40 as shown. The projecting end of the shaft is provided with a hand wheel II, by means of which it may be turned.- The plunger 39 is provided with a longitudinal passage 42 which opens at 'its ends on one face of the plunger, as shown in Figure 3, at the ports 43 and 44. Passages 31 and 38 are provided in the cover plate 2 and extend from the passage 25 to the wall along which the ported face of the plunger 39 slides. In a similar way passages and 36 extend from the passage 26 in the cover plate 2 to the face along which the ported face of the plunger 39 slides. The lower end of the portion 2b is provided with a threaded opening in which a closure plug 45 may be mounted. This is provided so that access may be had to the parts. The shaft 65 is provided with a transverse bore 83 which opens at each end and communicates with a longitudinal bore '84 which extends through the shaft to the opposite side of the connecting rod spider assembly.

In the assembly of the machine the right hand cover plate 3 is applied to the central housing portion I so that the ports 50, 5| and 52 register with the ports l9, I8 and II, respectively, and the ports 53, 54 and register with the ports l4, l5 and I6, respectively. The arcuate ports 49 and 49a. are positioned so as to be in the path of rotation of the right hand ends of the axial grooves 58. The left hand cover plate 2 is applied to the casting I so that the ports 23, 29 and 30 register with the ports 22, 2| and 20, respectively, and the ports 3|, 32 and 33 register with the ports 23, 24 and 25, respectively. The arcuate ports 21 and 21a of this cover plate are likewise positioned so as to be in the path of rotation of the left hand ends of the grooves 58.

The operation of this pump will now be de- 7 l j is turned so that shaft 65 is swung upwardly so that its longitudinal axis coincides with the axis of rotationof the rotor and shaft 1. It.

will then be apparent that the pistons will. not reciprocate regardless of the direction. of rotation of .shaft 1.. .In this position the rotor revolves, carrying the pistons around with it (since they are, of course, mounted therein) and carrying the connecting rods and connecting rod spider 89 with it. The-pump will, of course, then not move any fluid. In this position the .finger 61 does.not=engage the stops 88 and 69 so that shaft 65 is free to revolve. If the plunger 39 is longitudinally movedfrom this central position in either direction the pump will begin to operate and for any given speed the quantity of fluid pumped will depend upon the angular.

displacement of shaft 65. The angular displacement of this shaft will also cause an equal angular displacement of the connecting rods 8| with respect to the vertical. In other words, if

the pump is not running and the shaft 65 isv moved to either side of its central position the pistons will be initially positioned from a central position and, of course, each adifferent amount. For example, as shown in Figure 3,'the left hand end of shaft 65 has been depressed. This causes a shifting of the connecting mechanism and the-pistons. The uppermost pistonvis shifted to the extreme left and the lowermost piston to the extreme right. extreme positions the other pistons will be at intermediate positions.

It will be assumed that the rotoris revolved by any suitable power source, such as, for example, a constant speed electric motor, in a clockwise direction, viewing the device as in Figure 2, or from the right hand end of Figure 3. ,It is also assumed that the shaft 65 is depressed, as shown in Figure 3, and thatthe fluid supply pipe is connected to the ported projection 9 and the discharge pipe is connected to the ported projection 8. Fluid will then flow from 9 into passage l3 in tlie casting I and then into passage 46 in the cover plate 3 through the registering ports l453, Iii-54 and l6.55. Fluid will then flow from passage 46 through port 49a into those rotor grooves which are in alignment therewith. As a rotor groove moves into alignment' with port 49a it will begin to recede from the port and draw fluid thereinto. At the same time fluid will flow from passage l3 into passage .26 in the cover plate 2 through the ports 23--3l, 24-32 and 25-33 which are in registry. From passage 26. the fluid will flow through port 21 .into'the ends of the grooves 58 as they register with that. port, as previously described. In the assembled machine the ports 49a and 21 are on opposite sides .of the rotor and so positioned that the grooves 58 in which the pistons are receding from those sides are in registry therewith. As 'the grooves 58, which are really the cylinders, fill with fluid they move out of registry with the ports 49a and 21 opposite those areas of the end plates which are not ported and hence which seal them.

The fluid is then carried by the cylinders or grooves 58 until their ends register with the ports 49 and 21a, respectively. The fluid then flows through port 49 into passage 41 in the cover plate 3. From this passage it flows into passage l2 in the casting I through the ports 58-l9, 5II8 and 52Il which are in registry. Likewise, on the other side of the rotor, as the Between these two cylinders move into registry with port 21a.

the fluid is forced through port 21a into passage25 in the cover plate 2. From this passage the fluid flows into passage l2 in the casting I' through ports 28-,22, 29 '-2l and 3828 which are in registry. In the passage I2 the fluid combines and goes out through the passage in the ported projection 8 to thedischarge pump. As will be apparent, when the rection of fluid flow through the pump is reversed. In this case the various inlet passages as traced above simply become the outlet passages, and the outlet passages as traced above become the inlet passages.

Assuming now that the parts are in the position first assumed, namely, that of Figure 3 with plunger 39 in the position shown, it will be seen that passage 25 is a pressure passage so that the fluid will be also forced through the passage 38 into the hollow rotor issuing from-the plunger around the shaft 65. Fluid can also flow through passages 83 and 84 to the other side of the spider assembly so that the same pressure that exists on the discharge side of the pump is applied to both sides of the spider assembly. The segmental plates 82 are provided and positioned so as to protect certain portions of the side faces of .the spherical assembly within the rotor while leavingother portionsexposed to fluid pressure so as to counteract or oppose the forces acting on the spherical member as a reapparent to those skilled in the art that the disult of the pressures created by the pistons as they pump fluid. It is again emphasized that the segmental members-82 are rigidly fixed to the shaft 65 which shaft does not normally revolve. These segmental members are displaced 180 degrees with respect to each other, and are positioned as shown in Figure 3, so that the side faces of the central spherical member or assembly areexposed to thefluid pressure which reaches them through the passage 84 in the shaft 65, so as to apply a turning force to the spherical assembly which counteracts the pressure on the piston rods -8I acting through the pistons as they pump fluid. Briefly, this'arrangement subjects the central assemblyto a fluid pressure which balances the pressure exerted by the pistons on the piston rods, and

therefore places this part of the assembly in pensated for by a slight enlargement of the plates to get the full shielding effect desired. Furthermore, the tendency for any pressure to 3 build up between the plates 82 and the rotary parts 80 is being continually prevented by reason of the relative movement between these parts whereby the plates 82 are continually scraping the oil film from the parts 80. In other words, the relative movement between the parts is continuously destroying the film that has previously formed, necessitating the continuous rebuilding of the film which cannot occur at a rapid enough rate when the mechanism is in operation to. cause the building up of any substantial amount of pressure between these parts. Elliid also flows from passage 25 through passage 31 to the space above the plunger 39. This balances the upward pressure on the plunger caused by the tendency of shaft 65 to swing back to central position. It is clear to those skilled in the art that compensation for the unbalance caused, by the application of pressure to the ends of the plunger 39 is provided in determining the proper area of the segmental plates 82 for any particular structure. The relative areas of the ends of the plunger and of the segments 82-may be varied to secure balance for different designs and the additional balance provided by the plunger may be found to be particularly beneficial in those cases where the areas of the segments 82 cannot for other reasons be reduced as much as would be necessary to get a balance with the segments and without the plunger. Thus when the hand wheel ll is turned to move the plunger to a diiferent position, pressures thereon are substantially balanced so that the hand wheel may be easily manipulated. The reaction pressures acting through the piston rod spider and which tend to tilt the rotor and increase bearing friction, are counterbalanced by the pressures in the grooves la and lb. When passage l! in the casting l'-is a pressure passage fluid is intro-'- ,duced-into the left handgr'oove la, Figure 7, throughthe passage l4", and the right hand groove lb through the passage ll so as to be applied 'at opposite ends of the rotor and at 180 apart. The result is that the tendency of the rotor'to tilt is eliminated. When the direction of fluid pressure is reversed, passage 26 in the cover plate 2 becomes a pressure passage and fluid under pressure is supplied to the bot tom of the'plunger 38 to counteract the'tendency of the shaft 6! to react downwardly. Likewise pressure is supplied to the right hand groove laand the left hand groove lb from the pressure passage l3 in'the casting l to counteract the tendency of the rotor to tilt in the opposite direction. p

When the shaft '5 is moved from the position shown to apoint above the horizontal the reaction forces setup cause shaft II to revolve throughqanangle of 180 so that finger il engages the pin I] to limit its rotation. This automatic rotation also re-positions the S gmental plates '2- to cause a proper balance of the fluidpressureon the spider which pressure is now reversed in direction of action. When the parts are inv the position shown in Figure 3 the flnger t1 engages the pin 68 which holds it against any tendency to move further in a elockwiseidirectiqn, when viewed fromtfie'left hand end of Figure 3. The stop pins 68 and OI are positioned toilimit the rotational movement of shaft I so tal plates .2 will be properly positioned to eiiect as'deacribed above.

1mm the above description it will be apparent. that this invention involves certain physical ts, only one of which hasbeen'illustrated in the drawings; 1 do'not, dc-.

pressure balance of the 1 sire to be strictly limited to the disclosure as given for purposes of illustration but rather to the scope of the appended claims.

What I desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A variable delivery pump of the type described comprising a stator having inlet and discharge passages in the walls thereof, a rotor journalled in said stator having a plurality oi. axial channels intermittently communicating with said passages as the rotor revolves, pistons slidably mounted in said channels, a ring member journalled in said rotor, a piston rod extending from the ring to each of said pistons, a spindle Journalled in said ring, adjustable means mounted on the stator for varying the angle between the spindle and the axis of the rotor, said adjustable means including a plunger slidably mounted in the stator and having an aperture therein into which the end of the spindle flts and means for applying fluid pressure on opposite ends of said plunger to balance it.

2. A variable delivery pump comprising a casing having an. internal chamber connected to means including segmental plates for applying fluid pressure to limited portions of opposite faces of said supporting-means to counteract the forces acting thereon as the pistons pump fluid. I

3. A variable delivery pump comprising a casing having an internal chamber connected to inlet and outlet ports, a rotor mounted in said chamber, a plurality of reciprocal pistons mounted in said rotor, a piston rod for each piston, means for connecting all of said piston rods together, supporting means forming a rotatable support for said connecting means, means including segmental plates for applying fluid pressure to restricted portions of saida supmeans to counteract the forces acting thereon as the pistons pump fluid, and means for positioning said support and connecting member to vary the stroke of said pistons. I

4. Avariable delivery pump comprising a casing having an internal chamber connected to inlet and outlet ports, a rotor mounted in said chamber, a plurality of reciprocal pistons mounted in said rotor, a piston rod for each piston, means for connecting all of said piston rods together, supporting means-forming a rotatable support for said connecting means, means for'applying fluid pressure on restricted portions of opposite faces of said supporting means to counteract the forces acting thereon as the pistons pump fluid, means for positioning said support and connecting member to vary the stroke ofsaid pistons, and means for applying pressure fluid in opposite directions to said last mentioned means to facilitate manipulation -ther of ineitne ir ction- ...M. 5. A fluid pressure pump as described comprising a casing taming a closed chamber having in- .let and outlet ports, a rotor journaled in said casing, a plurality of pistons reciprocally mounted in the rotor, means for connecting all of said for rotatably supporting said means, means for shielding portions of opposite races of said'means pistons together, an angularly positionable shaft andmeans for app ying fluid'pressure to the ex--- posed portions 01' said means for-connecting the 76 2,071,67Q pistons together to counterbalanoe the reaction forcesacting through the pistons as they pump 6. vAvariable deliveryfluid pump of the type described comprising a casing having inlet and outlet ports, a hollow rotor journaled in said cas ing, a plurality of .pistons reciprocally mounted in said rotor, means including a ring member for connecting all of said pistons together,- a bearing assembly for said-ringmember, an angularly positionable shaft connected tosaid bearing member, manual means for varying the angular position'of said shaft, said manual means including a reciprocaliplunger connected to said shaft and slidably mounted in the casing, and means for applying a balancing fluid pressure to the opposite member being mounted within the rotor, a hearing for said member, .an angularly positionable shaft for supporting said bearing, means for angula'rly positioning the shaft, plates mounted on said shaft and movable therewith for selectively protecting portions of theside areasof said bearing, and meaps for-supplying pressure fluid to the f sides of said bearing at the exposed areas to together; said counteract the reaction forces acting thereon as the pistons pump fluid.

. 8. A variable delivery pump comprising a? closed casing having inlet and outlet ports, a

rotor journaled in said casing, a plurality of pis-. -tons reciprocally mounted in. the rotor, each piston comprising two longitudinally spaced parts, a plurality of connecting rods for said pistons each having an ,end lying between the parts of the associated piston, means for resilientlypressing the piston parts against the ends of thepiston "rods, means for securing said connecting rods together, and means forpositioning the connectmg rods at an angle to the axis of the rotor whereby the pistons are caused to reciprocate whenthe rotor revolves.

9. A variable delivery pump comprising a stator casing having inlet and discharge passages in the wall-thereofterminating in inlet and outlet ports, a rotor journaled in said casing having a p1urality or axially reciprocal pistons mounted therein, means interconnecting all of said pistons-ineluding a member positionable at an angle to the stroke of said pistons, segmental plates mounted on opposite faces of said members to cover portions thereof, and means for applying pressure fluid to the'expo'sed portions of said member to balance it against the piston reaction 'forces.

PRESTON wmTcoMB.

axis ofrotation of'the rotor for adjusting the Y 

